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Police Bodycam Video Released Showing Marine Pilot Ejection From F-18 Hornet Jet
Just the facts
Bodycam footage recorded by the Yakima County Sheriff's Office shows Marine Corps Major Jackson Simon calmly walking toward responding deputies after ejecting from his F-18 Hornet aircraft over Washington state. Major Simon, assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11 under the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, sustained facial lacerations when he parachuted through trees near Rimrock Lake during a low-level training exercise. The jet crashed into the mountainside at approximately noon on June 13, 2026, causing a localized forest fire that was contained by local emergency responders. Military authorities valued the destroyed fighter jet at $67 million and confirmed that formal aviation mishap investigations remain ongoing.
Why this is news
Law enforcement authorities released deputy bodycam footage capturing the immediate aftermath of a $67 million Marine Corps F-18 Hornet fighter jet crash in Washington state. The pilot ejected successfully before the aircraft impacted a mountainside near Rimrock Lake.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.